Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-18
A BEAR AND TWO MEN.
Startling Experience IN the woods
of Two Young Farmers.

returned Yesterday afternoon from u Ten
days hunt ten or twelve miles from the
village OF Gizzam. Clearfeld county, in
Northern PENNSYLVANIA. Mr. Catlln car
RES his left broken arm in asling and his
face, scalp. arms, and hands are covered
with scratches aud deep cuts made by
the claws of she bear. His right ear
was nearly torn away, and has been
sewed to his head. Mr.. Patterson also
bears scratches and decorations upon
his arms and hands from the same
cause. Both men suffer severely
from their injuries. Patterson aud
Catlin had nearly finished their hunting
and trapping season in the woods, and
intended quitting their home IN the
woods Ia t Saturday afternoon. On
Saturday morning Patterson started off
with his gun on his shoulder to take up
the fox traps about the forest in which
they were camping. Catlin was left
clone at the camp. and little later went
ont for a stroll about the woods, carrying
his rifle with him. The morning was
pleasant, and finding recent letter
from his wife in his pocket he sat down
upon a stump to read it again. lie had
been reading but q few minutes when he
heard the sound OF swapping twigs upon
the ground and ruslling OF dead leaves,
rs if some one were clumsily approach
ing. lie carelessly looked up from his
letter, aud was parllyzed to see large
female bear within 100 feet of him.
81 snail never forget how big that
bear looked to NE at that moment" said
Farmer Catlin. Il never snv n bear out
of captivity before had read all about
their quiet ways and how they will avoid
tussle with "A man. Now. thought |.
heres Chance to astonish Patterson
when he comes back from dinner. III
kin that bear IN about five seconds, aud
with that mp aud took what l thought
Was the most tc.ibcratea aim ut Old Bruus
bead. The aim vas poor, for instead of
the beast dropping dead she gave re-
sounding eruut aud leoped foot or two
ia the air. The bullet had taken effect
in tho bears nose aud was very pain
full. Ia second more the animal
dashed toward me, swinging her head
from side to side, and showing the largest
md sharpest teeth | ever saw. reached
instantly for another cartridge, and
found J had forgotten to take my car
tidgc-box with me. The sensation was
dreadful. Pcrspiraii0n started from
every pore bad no time to think. but
everything flashed through my mind. /
had nothing about ne but long and
very sharp two-edged dirk knife with
which 10 defend myself, and there was
that iniusiatcd and hungry, powerful
bear almost upon mc. reached Tor my
knife and droT It from its sheath, as tine
same mountaineering forward 1tew Icer
to strife as powerful blow as possible
with myWeapon. The beast strucd against
my legs aud ! nearly itll to the ground.
] turned, and IN my haste gave the AMI
NAL savage cut across the back. AT
that the bear turned upon me more
hcrcclv than e,er had got upon my
feet. and the bear struck me % powerful
blow uponmy breast. If had not been
prepared for IL would have fallen be-
meath the beast. | Wa, then more than
ever alarmed. Itsecmtd as If that WAS
my last day on earth. The next move /
made was 20 attempt to put 10y long
knife into Bruin heart. My body
however, was SO close 10 that Of the bear
that the knife blade struck too close 10
the beasts shoulder 20 do any injury
Old Brain was more enaged than ever,
and dealt me a blow with one OF her
great paws that seemed like s.cdgc
hammer upon my breast fell backward
upon the ground. l thought then That !
Tao -
NAL was upon me again with Dor fore
paws, and /, reaching up, gave her
great slash across the breast, from winch
great quantities az hot blood poured
down upon me. Then We Lad close
embrace, duriES which my face and
HANDS, as yUu see, were so terribly
scratched and torn. ! fought like dc
mon and managed to keep the bears
awful jaws from closing upon me. Lid
not fear any severe hugs from the AMI
nal. | don't know how did il, but
managed to hold on TO my knife, with
which ] had given the old beast three
deep Digs. and at the same time to
grasp her about the waist Then We
rolled over twice, during which my
heavy clothing was nearly torn off and
my legs were terribly lacerated
by the bears hind paws, and I
still wardcd of those fatal jaws
and hugs. Ny strength was beginning
to fail aud / realized could Lot con-
tinue at this rate much longer By al
most s1rerhumun strength l rolled upon
my side. and, getting ~ night arm and
hand free Tor an instant, ] made hinge
at 8ruin which / meant shouidlinishtlc
beast. / struck exactly whore wished,
under the lett lorepaw That bow did
not strike the heart but II struck IN q
pr. Try tender spot, for the bear fell upon
me like beef. Ny left arm, as you s.e
here i'm sling. was broken by the fall
The bear Was helpless for a few minutes,
and you can better believe / freed my
self .rom the beast in second. Once
on nv feet I ran, dripping with blood
from my OTn and the bears wounds.
10 our camp for gun. Pat
terson arrived there at the sam,
moment that | dill, and was dumb
founded ~ my sancninary Appearance
I could scarcely speak because of my In
tense excitement, but told hun ia 70 iew
words OF my awful experience. / could
not return to tie bear because oil my
broken arm, but Patterson seized a ra,
ana Instantly ran to the disabled beast
Upon approaching BHin Patterson
THOUGHT lcr already dead. She ay ma d
sI,at POOL OF aor blood aud did uo- NOV.
% muscle. lucHtously hc approached
and il curiosity overturned iao bear
with the stock OF ms rifle. At
that moment she opened her eyes
aud before you could say jack
Robinson she had given paItef
son three or oWseratrhes with Inc claw,
of both her frontund hind paws. Some
OF tine claws actuaiiy sunk over an inch
IN Patterson hands and arms, which
are marked for lite. Those were the lat
scratches of Bru.u, for the next moment
Patterson bad jumped away from the
Infatuated but fatally wounded animal
aud cent two big bullets into the beasts
head. we walked four miles Tor phy-
mrian, who set my nrm and slent tvo
bours p,astering up our wounds. Then
we hired Two mon t. skin the beast. IL